Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer warned analysts about overly "optimistic" sales projections for Windows Vista last week, causing an immediate slump in Microsoft stock prices. More interesting was Ballmer's claim that software piracy was to blame for slow(er) sales, particularly in highly buccaneered markets like China and India. Ballmer predicts stronger numbers in those markets due to Vista's impregnable new anti-piracy defenses, which will no doubt cause pirates to reluctantly hang up their cutlasses and start purchasing site licenses en masse. Just like DRM has eradicated music piracy and gotten everyone to start buying CDs again.

[Photo: Getty]